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The Temple of Esna. An Evolving Translation: Esna IV

Architrave C (422-423)

Esna 422

1nfr.wy ḥr=k
ỉw=k ḫʿ.tw
m p.t mḥt.t

ỉt ỉt.w pw
n nṯr.w
ẖnmw-Rʿ nb tȝ-sn.t
nṯr ʿȝ
nb ḥw.t-ẖnmw

psḏ=k m ỉtn=k
m-ḫt Nw.t
mỉ psḏ-m-mḥn=f

sḥḏ=k tȝ.wy ỉry
m nbỉ.t=k
sš.n=k gs.w-pr.w
wn.n=k ỉz.ty […]

dwȝ.tw ḥm=k
m kȝr2=k šps
snỉ.tw sšp=k
m ȝḫ.t rʿ-nb

1 How beautiful is your face!
When you appear
in the northern sky.

That means: father of fathers
of the gods,
Khnum-Re Lord of Esna,
great god,
Lord of the Temple of Khnum.

You shine in your disk
in the belly of Nut,26
like He who Shines in his Uraeus (Re).

You illumine all the lands
with your flame;
as you opened the temples,
so have you opened the dual chapels […]

One worships your majesty
in your 2 august shrine;
one reveres your radiance
in the Akhet, every day.

bd.n=k knḥ
sʿr.n=k šzp
tkk.n=k ỉgp
r tȝ pn

nḥp=k pʿy.t
qd.n=k rḫy.t
ỉr.n=k ʿnḫ ḥnmm.t

qmȝ.n=k nṯr
sḫpr.n=k nṯr.t
sḫr.w nty psḏ.t

msỉ.n=k ḥmww.w
3nty nbỉ ʿḫm.w
ms.w ms.w=k ỉm=sn

mḥ.n=k ḥm.wt m snb
m nh m nḫn
m ṯȝy.w ḥm.wt

sḫpr.n=k ʿnḫ m ʿnḫ.w
mḥ.n=k fnḏ
m ṯȝw n ʿnḫ
šr.n=k šr.ty nb
m mḥy.t nfr.t

wn.n=k r’
sš.n=k sp.ty […]

As you illumined darkness,
so you made light ascend,
having attacked clouds
away from this land.

As you fashioned the elites,
so you modelled the commoners,
and you made life for the sunfolk.

You created the god,
and produced the goddess,
and the conditions of the Ennead.

You birthed the artisans,
who fashion divine effigies,
and who thus birth your children thereby.

You fill women with health,
while protecting the child,27
whether male or female.

You have created life for the living,
you filled the nose
with the breath of life,
you (un)blocked all nostrils
with the good north-wind.

As you opened the mouth,
so did you open the lips […]

Esna 423

A1ʿnḫ nṯr nfr
ỉr.t Rʿ pw
shḏ(.t) tȝ.wy
wʿ.t pw
nn snw=s
sḫ.t […]
A2mw.t ḥw.t-bȝ.w
m rn=s pw n Nb.t-ww
ḥnw.t sḫ.t nfr.t

zȝ Rʿ
nb ḫʿ.w
([…])|

A1 Live the good god,
that means the eye of Re,
who illumines the two lands;
that means the sole goddess,
without her peer;
the Field […]
A2 mother (in) the Temple of the Bas,
in this her name of Nebtu,
Mistress of the good field.

Son of Re,
Lord of Appearances,
([…])|

A3[ʿnḫ nṯr nfr]
ỉty qn
mrty m ḫʿỉ=f
nṯr nʿš ỉmỉ.tw psḏ.t
[…] A4[…]
ỉt zȝ.w-n=sn
nb mȝʿ.t
pr m mȝʿ-ḫrw

nsw.t-bỉty
nb tȝ.wy
([…])|

A3 [Live the good god]
[mi]ghty and strong,28
beloved one when he appears29,
fierce god amid the Ennead,30
[…] A4 […]
Father of the guardian deities,31
Lord of Maat,
who comes forth in justification.

The King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Lord of the Two Lands
([…])|

B1ʿnḫ nṯr nfr
ʿȝ.t m p.t
wsr.t m tȝ […]
B2[ḫ]ʿỉ nb
ẖr s.t-r’=s
ȝḫ.t ỉmnt.t(?) […]

B3ʿnḫ nṯr nfr
ỉwʿʿ n Šw
ḥqȝ tȝ.wy […]
B4[… š]fy(.t)
nsw.t nṯr.w
bỉty rmṯ.w
(Wn-nfr mȝʿ-ḫrw)|
ḥqȝ […]

B1 Live the good god,
the great one in heaven,
the mighty one on earth […]
B2 The Lord [ap]pears in glory
under her authority;
the brilliant, the western(?) […]

B3 Live the good god,
heir of Shu,
ruler of the two lands […]
B4 [… pre]stige,
nsw-king of the gods,
bỉty-king of humans,
(Wennfer, justified)|
ruler of […]